The Latest Cristaldi Scores
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
Vintage
Wine
Color
Rating
The 2022 Archimedes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a site more than 2,300 feet above sea level in the Pine Mountain–Cloverdale Peak AVA, and it’s one of the most intense, spicy, structured, and deeply fruited wines of the vintage. Beautifully pure mulberry fruit and graphite nuances intertwine with rose petal and perfumed violet aromas that draw you in. The palate flows with rivers of dark fruit, plump tannins, and stony earth minerality. It’s an immensely pleasing wine, delivering sheer drinking joy.
The Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is sourced from Flowers’ organically farmed estate vineyard, Sea View Ridge, along with several family-owned vineyards that share their farming philosophy and commitment to expressing the purity of these coastal sites. Aged in 20% new French oak, it’s an absolutely delicious wine—full of red currant and red cherry fruit, cherry smoke, incense, and a hint of espresso bean. A creamy richness broadens the mid-palate, supported by beams of structured tannins with a subtle apple-skin grip, resolving beautifully with Earl Grey tea notes and violet florality. So expressive and fun to drink. Helmed by longtime winemaker, Chantal Forthun, Flowers produces a limited amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards on the edge of the Pacific in addition to their signature wines from the Sonoma Coast.
This 100% Chardonnay was sourced from Flowers’ coastal estate, Camp Meeting Ridge, along with several other family-owned vineyards in the Sonoma Coast. Aged for 10 months in 18% new French oak. This is a gentle giant of a Chardonnay, opening with delicate aromatics of lemon oil, Marcona almonds, pressed white florals, and a hint of honeycomb, before building terrific intensity on the palate with laser-focused acidity. The flavors show both breadth and depth—beguiling and persistent—balanced by stony minerality, pressed wildflowers, and crunchy apple, followed by richer yet slightly underripe pineapple notes. It finishes with a long, saline-driven acidity. A great wine—just get some. Helmed by longtime winemaker, Chantal Forthun, Flowers produces a limited amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards on the edge of the Pacific in addition to their signature wines from the Sonoma Coast.
Fashionable, elegant, suave, and empowering, this Pinot Noir brings it—dark cherry fruit, plum, clove, incense, blood orange, black tea, and white pepper all swirl together over firm, velvety tannins, saline-driven acidity, and a juicy richness that makes it downright irresistible. Need I go on? Go get some! This 100% Pinot Noir was sourced exclusively from Flowers’ high-elevation, CCOF-certified Sea View Ridge estate on the far Sonoma Coast. Aged for 10 months in a mix of 225L, 500L, and 100L vessels (25% new French oak). Helmed by longtime winemaker, Chantal Forthun, Flowers produces a limited amount of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards on the edge of the Pacific in addition to their signature wines from the Sonoma Coast.
A generous and expressive Chardonnay from the famed Sangiacomo Vineyards, it opens with buttered croissant and yellow apple before gaining momentum and complexity on the medium-bodied palate. Layers of unctuous stone fruit, charred pineapple, and lemon-lime acid tension support the ripe, succulent fruit profile and all that toasty, buttery oak goodness. This Chardonnay is sourced from two Sangiacomo family vineyards: Roberts Road Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap, where fog and wind keep temperatures cool, and Green Acres Vineyard in Sonoma Carneros, which benefits from the marine influence of San Francisco Bay. Aged for 11 months in French oak barrels (30% new).
In 2022, this wine shows a bright, engaging personality with rose petal florals, iron, and ripe cherry and spiced plum fruits supported by tangy blood orange acidity. The finish reveals subtle blue fruit nuances and firm, elongated tannins with a chocolaty edge and mild Indian spice on the lengthy close. The Flambeaux Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley sits 350 feet above the valley floor on Boomer Loam soils—metamorphic, red, and iron-rich. The Zinfandel grows in terraced rows on the steep hillside, which helps drain both excess water and cold air, naturally protecting the vines from frost. Aged for 11 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels (25% new).
Fragrant lemon zest rises from the glass, nuanced by stony minerality and buttered croissant. Medium-bodied, it offers a wealth of creamy apricot and lemon biscuit flavors, with hints of quince paste and lively lemon-acid tension. Planted in 1999, Fisher’s Mountain Estate Vineyard Chardonnay is rooted in steep, rocky soils at 1,300 feet of elevation. Native fermented and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (28% new). No sulfites were added at harvest or during aging. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher, this second-generation family winery sources from estate vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot. Aged for 21 months in French oak barrels (85% new). Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Dark-fruited, succulent, and bold, this wine offers lavish, velvety textures and full-bodied appeal, unfolding with notes of graphite, dried violets, star anise, and loamy earth dusted with black truffle powder. Something else entirely. First planted in 1973, Wedding Vineyard graces a south-facing slope in front of Fisher’s original Mountain Estate winery. Nine acres were replanted in 2002 by famed viticulturist David Abreu: seven blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon (including Clone 337 and See Clone), one block of Petit Verdot (Clone 400), and one block of Cabernet Franc (Clone 327). The final remaining block was replanted in 2010 (Wiemer Clone). Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher, this second-generation family winery sources from estate vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
A bold, expressive wine redolent of mulberry and muddled blackberry fruit, nuanced by savory black truffle, charcuterie, and cedarwood spice. Full-bodied, with ripe, succulent fruit on the palate accented by graphite, incense, and pressed, dried violets, while tart dried cherry notes emerge on the lengthy finish. The core of this wine is Cabernet Sauvignon grown on steep, west-facing terraces that rise above the winery, reaching a towering elevation of 1,400 feet. Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels (7% new). Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher, this second-generation family winery sources from estate vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
This 100% Chardonnay was barrel-aged for 18 months in French oak (12.5% new) on primary lees, with native malolactic fermentation. Ripe orchard fruit builds in the glass, followed by apple and pear pastry, white flowers, and wildflower honey. Medium-bodied, the wine gains richness with layers of lemon and tangerine oil, balanced by zippy, almost prickly citrus acidity that keeps everything lifted even as the oily fruit deepens in weight. It’s a meal unto itself. Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher, this second-generation family winery sources from estate vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
Supercharged and nicely concentrated, this is a powerhouse Chardonnay with loads of crushable appeal. Medium- to full-bodied, it’s not shy on oak, yet it comes across soft and generous, offering slightly toasty, buttered croissant flavors layered with lemon cream and hints of ginger spice. Full and expansive, with racy acidity and plenty of charred pineapple to make it feel festive. It’s a fun, energetic wine with remarkable depth of flavor balanced by a brightness that’s hard to describe—you simply have to grab a bottle and see for yourself. First planted in 1973 to Old Wente clone Chardonnay, Whitney’s Vineyard sits at 1,000 feet of elevation on a gravelly, gently sloping, southwest-facing hillside. Aged for 16 months in French oak barrels (45% new). No sulfites were added at harvest or during aging. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher, this second-generation family winery sources from estate vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
Scratched into a ravine and farmed entirely by hand due to the severe slopes, the small Hidden Terrace Vineyard is composed of rare tuff (volcanic ash) soils that yield Syrah of remarkable concentration and varietal distinction. Extremely low yields limit production to just a handful of barrels each vintage. And wow, is it expressive and fragrant—bursting with violets, lavender, black truffle, charcuterie, and black cherry fruit, everything you want in great Syrah. Beneath that perfume lies a sturdy, firm foundation of lithe tannins with muscular grip, framed by the crisp acidity of just-picked blueberries and their crunchy skins, finishing with impressive length and tension. Founded in 1973 by Fred and Juelle Fisher, this second-generation family winery sources from estate vineyards in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
Siena is Ferrari-Carano’s nod to their Italian heritage, aged 10 months in 20% new French oak. The blend includes Malbec, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is intriguing, with a sweet-spice profile that hints at black licorice or, as the technical sheet puts it, “cream soda”—a nostalgic candy character you can interpret however you like. Blackberry and raspberry notes follow, along with mulberry-pie spices on the palate. The texture is creamy and satiny, supported by firm, grippy tannins that resolve nicely on the berry-driven finish.
The fruit for this rosé goes directly to press—it’s made intentionally as rosé from all estate-grown fruit. It’s a fine, tasty wine featuring mixed red-berry notes, a touch of sea spray, and hints of crushed wild thyme and rosemary. White peach, apricot, and a honeysuckle lift round out the palate, leading to a lengthy, crisp, acid-driven finish.
The Chardonnay is barrel fermented and aged 10 months sur lie in 20% new French oak. Grapes are sourced from 60 different lots across Sonoma County. For the past decade, the wines at Ferrari-Carano have been made by winemaker Natalie West. There’s a lavish aromatic pop of rich, toasty, graham-cracker sweet oak that carries straight onto the palate, where the wine shows super-expressive character—lemon curd, lemon meringue, grilled pineapple. Despite all that richness, the wine stays balanced thanks to a vein of salinity that brings real freshness. The oak is beautifully integrated: never cloying, just vivid and tasty. You have to love this style to love this wine—and if you do, at $27 it’s a terrific value.
The Reserve comes from Macama Ranch, located at the base of LookOut Mountain, and the fruit from this site produces some of the darkest Cabernet in the Ferrari-Carano portfolio. The 2023 was fermented in stainless steel and aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. This is a super-ripe wine with great mid-palate richness and plenty of warm baking-spice character—mulberry, clove, allspice—layered with touches of leather and black tobacco on the long finish. Serve with braised meats or burgers, please.
The Reserve is sourced from estate fruit in Los Carneros. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed to stainless steel and cold settled before being racked to French oak (30% new) for fermentation and nine months of sur-lie aging with full malolactic. This is a refined, polished wine—not at all bombastic in its oak profile. The oak shows more like a delicate blondie or light graham-cracker crust, gently framing silky citrus fruit, grilled pineapple sprinkled with black sea salt, and ripe pear layered with honeycomb and butterscotch caramel. All that richness builds on the palate—something of a surprise, as the nose doesn’t hint at the depth to come. The finish is long and super toasty. A meal of a wine unto itself.
From sites along the banks of the Russian River in the Russian River Valley, this Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed and barrel fermented with a mix of native and cultured yeasts. It undergoes 95% malolactic fermentation and is aged sur lie with stirring for nearly five months before continuing its élevage in Burgundian French oak for a total of 14 months. All that barrel work brings a gorgeous confectionary spice character—graham-cracker crust, blondie richness, and vanilla—mingling with delicate white-rose floral notes. The palate is full-bodied and richly fruited, loaded with ripe apple, poached pear, and vanilla-laced toasty oak. Quite delicious, distinctly fragrant for a Chardonnay, and impressively elegant for a wine with this level of richness.
The flagship Bordeaux blend for Ferrari-Carano is sourced primarily from Lookout Vineyard, which spans both Knights Valley and Alexander Valley, along with other estate sites. The wine is fermented in stainless steel, undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrel, and is aged 20 months in 50% new French oak. The nose has a wonderfully cool character—blue fruit, forest berries, and cocoa nibs. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and plenty of mid-palate concentration, offering blackberry fruit laced with cola spices and a hint of toffee on the lengthy finish. Quite refined and polished in 2023.
Vines and Roses comes from older vines along Olivet Road in Santa Rosa. Fermented with 33% whole clusters and aged for 14 months in 20% new Damy French oak barrels. It captures the generosity of the Russian River Valley with a lighter-toned red fruit profile and a fine dusting of pink Himalayan sea salt atop firm tannins that resolve with juicy richness and taut acid tension.
